The NDP: Gaining, but in need of joining the 20th century

The jump in the polls for the New Democrat Party, Ontario version, shouldn’t come as a surprise to most.

Kathleen Wynne is about as wanted as toe fungus. Ditto that for Donald Rob Ford.

For me, this leaves two seemingly viable options: the NDP and the Green Party of Ontario.

If the NDP are going to even come close to range on my radar, they need to join the 20th century … and quickly.

Here are just a few top-level suggestions:

• Promise to put an end to divisive elementary and secondary school funding, especially when it comes to Catholic school boards
• Focus on green energy issues and pushing Ontario forward as a ‘green-friendly’ jurisdiction
• Push away (but don’t complete reject) your union affiliations. You need to at least pretend that you’re not going to be biased when it comes to teacher, professor, public employee negotiations
• Electoral reform: promise to make this the LAST first-past-the-post election in Ontario
• Alcohol sales: stop being so ‘Prohibition minded’ and push for broader access. Sales don’t have to be on every corner, but if you’re going to try to accomplish anything, promise to investigate the ties between Wynne and the handful of private licences that they’ve doled out
• Finally, commit to a modest level of financial responsibility. Kathleen Wynne is out of control with spending and we have to stop mortgaging our kids’ futures!

So there you go! I hear a few of these catch phrases and I might just jump on the band wagon.